Five Frugal Things | a menu-planning hump
More on the menu-planning hump in item #5!
1. I redeemed more birthday freebies
Let's see...I got a huge iced coffee for free at Starbucks.
I got an almost-free salad from a local restaurant.
I got a free deluxe chicken sandwich from Chick-Fil-A and gave it to Zoe.
I got a free bear claw pastry when I met a friend for coffee at Panera (and I also got a free coffee since I have the unlimited sip club membership).
2. I dropped my eggs, but rescued one
Not frugal: I accidentally let my carton of eggs slide onto the driveway as I was unloading my groceries. One egg was a total loss, but another one was just cracked.
So, I dumped it into a Pyrex container:
and then I cooked it to add to my breakfast plate the next day.
Also on my plate: leftover grilled chicken, plus potatoes, tomatoes, and green onions from my Hungry Harvest box.
And the sauce is a bottle my neighbor gave me because her family didn't like it and she knows I like sauce.
("I like sauce" = understatement of the year. SAUCE IS EVERYTHING.)
3. I sold three things on eBay and listed several more
I'm nowhere near as active on eBay as my friend Katy, but as I routinely declutter (and as my girls do!), I have a small but steady stream of things to list.
This time around, I sold two books*, plus my most recent pair of glasses.
*one of these books was an eBay purchase in the first place!
And then I listed a jumpsuit, a book, and a Lego set.
4. I got a few good deals at Safeway
I got this package of sparkling water for just $0.99.
I got 3 cans of tomatoes for $0.40 apiece.
I also got a package of bacon for a decent price, using the app...so all told I spent $7.15 for the sparkling water, the tomatoes, a pound of bacon, and some bananas and lettuce.
And that's NOT too shabby for Safeway.
5. I made a menu plan
Guys, I seriously think I have not made an actual menu plan since January of 2022. Somehow, I have just been flying by the seat of my pants all this time.
I have kept thinking, "I really should make a menu plan." but then it's like my brain kept hitting a wall and I just could not sit down and do it.
As I was sitting here thinking about this, a hard memory surfaced that's related to meal planning (something specific that happened shortly before I left), and I started to cry.
I hadn't even really put two and two together until then, but I think I understand what my block has been around meal planning. Until that moment, the "why" had felt more like a vague fog.
Maybe, just maybe, I am over that hump now. We shall see.
Kristen, I’m sorry for the bad memory that kept you from doing something so crucial to your routine. It’s amazing how insidious some moments (and people) can be. No doubt your cat knew, and was in fact helping, in that special way animals do. HUGS
FFT
—The Goodwill fairies granted me two matching wheel thrown bowls, this time from a shop in Colorado. Sweet! My secret mission is to replace all our dinnerware with handmade ceramics as things break and/or wear out.
—Along with ceramics, my other favorite class that I was terrible at but loved the knowledge gained was glass-blowing. During my last Goodwill jaunt, I spied a GIANT mouth-blown serving bowl that had all the hallmarks of a professional piece* and was even signed on the bottom! (K. Young is Kimberly Young in Florida, so far as I can tell from her online gallery.) $8 for a bowl that’s worth upwards of $100–yeah, baby! It will be the perfect final addition to the present basket—now present bowl—for my best friend, who’s settling into her new place post-divorce. We even met in glass blowing class, so this is kismet!
*Blown glass is worth paragraphs of “what to look for,” but the easiest tells are finished edges and lack of bubbles, or “seeds.” Mass-produced blown pieces have their edges ground off vs. finished cleanly with more firing, which involves extra steps. Bubbly/seeded glass may look pretty, but the bubbles contribute to fragility. Large purposeful bubbles (made with pinchers before the next glass layer) deep within something thick like a paperweight are okay, but they create weak points when in vessel walls.
—I made “freezer burn stew,” wherein I throw miscellaneous ingredients into the crockpot and hope for the best. This round included tiny ham shanks, carrots, green beans, and a caramelized onion cube (I often make a giant batch of caramelized onions, then freeze them). It came out splendidly, if a little saltier than we’re used to because of the ham. Note to self: Two more cups of water next time! Four didn’t quite take the edge off the salt.
—I bought four empty livestock mineral lick tubs for $5 each from a local farmer. Once empty, the tubs are essentially GIANT flower pots—comparable store bought pots are $35-$50 each—which I plan to use for our vegetable garden. The pots will help with water conservation, save me the trouble of weeding, and the high sides should help with pests.
—Speaking of water conservation, the clover I planted is coming up!!! I purposefully seeded before a long rainy weekend, and it’s *only* been watered with rain. Wild clover does just fine on it’s own, which is why I chose it for lawn cover. I refuse to waste water on grass in a low-key desert and will be looking into a rain barrel for our modest vegetable garden. My childhood second grade unit on aquifers (we made our own in little cups) and all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle PSAs about turning off faucets during Saturday morning cartoons really stuck with me. 😛
—Our deep freezer actually had some wiggle room, so I put a few gallon water jugs (with room for expansion) inside. This will help the freezer save energy and also help keep things cold in the event of a power outage. We’re heading into storm season, and while our longest outage was six hours, I’d just as soon be cautious!
@N, I love your 5 things! Freezer burn stew is so funny! Ham does get saltier after it's frozen, I've noticed. We regularly (about once a year) go to a Simon Pearce glass-blowing place where you can stand above on a catwalk and watch the entire process. Afterwards, I admire the things in the showroom. I wander to the "seconds" shelf, actually pick something up and look it over to see if I can figure out why it was discarded. I rarely can figure it out. The I carefully put it back down because I still cannot bring myself to spend $60 on one small glass-- no matter how beautiful it is or how lovely it feels in my hand. Someday? Maybe I should keep my eye out at thrift stores in that area.
Oh yes, without fail, if one of us is crying/stressed/anxious, our cat seems to know and understand, and she's especially affectionate. It's wild how she can understand this!
@Kristen, Animals are magic! I'm glad you and your girls have your cat. They can be so comforting when you're not feeling well, or are sad or anxious.
@Jody S., thanks for triggering many memories of my parents. When I would visit them in their later years they loved going to Simon Pearce to have lunch and browse.
@N, you caused me to remember that I need to make a pot of soup/stew using up some rather elderly things from the freezer!
I also liked reading about the blown glass. On our recent trip to Kenya, we went to a place where they do a lot of beautiful blown glass items. We got a few pieces, not as frugal as your find but cheaper than retail in America. Google Kitengala Glass to take a look.
@N, Thank you for sharing the info about blown glass! There is a local glassworks place in my area that offers classes. A friend of mine has taken several of these classes/workshops, and has created some small, lovely things.
@Addy, Oh my goodness, what beautiful work!!! Thank you for telling me about them!
1. We traveled to CT to visit family. We stayed in a Marriott hotel since we still had points earned from a credit card offer before the pandemic. We drove the hybrid vehicle. We packed a cooler with breakfast and dinner food. We eat a big meal at noon and a lighter one at night. We drove early in the day to minimize traffic. I brought homemade cookies to the big family gathering, as asked.
2. CVS just keeps giving me Extra Bucks. I used some last week to get a 6 ounce bag of shelled pistachios for $.95 out of pocket. I have since been offered an additional $2 and $4 in Extra Bucks. I'll stop today on while driving by.
3. My Riccar vacuum was making a terrible racket. Something was broken in the power head. I looked on eBay but a used one was ~$100. Finding the part was impossible, I couldn't find enough details. I took it to the store where it was purchased many years ago. They replaced the broken part for $45 in less than 24 hours. I don't mind playing for local services, especially not at local stores. I know many people would have just bought a new vacuum but I like keeping things out of landfills and I often feel overwhelmed by the number of choices when it comes to replacing an item.
4. DH had a hole in one of the front pockets of a pair of suit pants. I took the pants to the local dry cleaner and they charged $8 for the repair. They might have sat for weeks or months before I attempted a repair, now they will be available for wear after they are picked up today. Again, I am supporting a local business/seamstress. I am okay with spending money on that.
5. I have a large lightweight umbrella (DH rescued from lost and found at work just before it was going to be thrown away). The strap to close it up closes with "Velcro". The "Velcro" was worn out and would not hold. DH had bought generic "Velcro" dots at Dollar Tree a few years ago. I used a couple of those to fix the umbrella strap.
I’m sorry for the hard memory associated with menu planning. I admire how you keep growing and working through those memories.
FFT:
1. Found pay days and cake mix on clearance. Not necessary items but they bring joy to my dad and daughter, so worth it.
2. Smoothed out organization with items I already owned.
3. Dropped the heat settings in the house by a few degrees. Most days I don’t need it to run because it’s starting to be not cold (but not exactly warm) outside, but the nights are nippy so I still have it on.
4. Shopped at Aldi—I save so much money over the other grocery stores.
5. Packed lunches, Cooked at home (largely without menu planning, but for different reasons), bundled errands, didn’t buy frivolous stuff
FFT, Things Kristen's Done That I've Done Too Edition:
(1) The "egg drop" story reminded me of the time when DH and I were staying in a friend's flat in the Notting Hill Gate area of London (ah, those were the days). We were returning from the Portobello Road market district when one of us dropped the eggs we'd just bought. We raced back to the flat, dumped the carton into the biggest bowl we could find, and had what we called the Portobello Omelet for lunch. (And dinner.)
(2) Along with N, I'm sure that Shelley was picking up on Kristen's mood during the menu-planning session and trying to provide comfort. My Betty is likewise attuned to my moods. At the costs of food, cat litter, and the occasional vet visit, it's cheaper than most other therapy I can think of. (And, yes, I do have one of those mugs: "My Therapist Has Whiskers.")
(3) Redecorating on the cheap, for which Kristen has given us so many good examples: I decided last week (spurred in part by last Wednesday's discussion here) that I'm not myself particularly fond of DH's collection of bear/hunting posters in the front hallway. On Friday, I stumbled onto my first garage sale of the season, and found two "Le Beaujolais Nouveau Est Arrive" posters for $1 each. These will remind me of something DH and I enjoyed together. (Back in the day, I used to make trivets out of the corks!) The bear posters will go into the upcoming garage sale.
(4) More redecorating on the cheap: I moved some other pictures around, and am in the process of reusing a frame for DH's old sheet music of Hoagy Carmichael's "Star Dust." (He couldn't sing or play a lick, but he did love that song.)
(5) And I continue to move stuff for the garage sale into the garage. I'm almost through with moving the stuff I want to keep out of the garage.
@A. Marie, Notting Hill Gate!
I so miss London, but with my precarious health, I'm afraid to spend the money on a trip. One of these days. I'm going to work hard at my stamina this summer.
@Rose, I'm willing to bet London today is not the London you remember and miss. I lived there for a year, decades ago, and loved it. But every return visit has been a disappointment.
@JDinNM, My favorite part are the museums, especially the V&A, my favorite place on earth, and I don't suppose they've changed much. But noted.
@A. Marie, your no. 1 was an impressive story. (Do you remember the saying, "I ate out on that story for years." ???)
I never heard the expression "My therapist has whiskers." I love it and so true. My husband and I share cat stories every single day about what one of the cats did when one of us wasn't around. Yes, we have simple pleasures.
I believe I have saved thoudands over the years by reusing frames. I mean, why woildn't you?
@Rose,
I'm working on building my stamina this summer, too. After having knee surgery 2 years ago (and limited exercise before), and having had the flu last Thanksgiving, I'm still trying to rebuild my strength. The flu really kicked my butt.
@A. Marie,
I love that you're framing the sheet music to the song your DH loved. What a beautiful way to honor him.
I'm so glad you were able to meal plan. It's hard enough without the tough memories. You've got this!
FFT
1. I meal planned! (Yes, I am a copycat.)
2. I made a smoothie from frozen grapes which reeeeally needed to be used.
3. I made some slightly better than "meh" chicken pot pies (individual ones) with some canned veggies that nobody in my house likes to eat which we were given. My daughter just told me she liked them a lot, so I guess we have differing opinions in the house; that makes me feel better.
4. I made coffee at home.
5. I kept doing my face exercises because wasting that therapy is not frugal at all!
@Jody S., Ooh. I forgot. I also had an egg drop experience this week. I did the same thing you did.
@Jody S.,
I have a chicken pot pie recipe that uses canned mixed vegetables. It was my bestie's mother in law's recipe, and it's delicious.
I wish I could menu plan, but I can't. My brain goes numb every time. Figuring out what I want to eat every day is a real pain, but it's the only thing that works. My daughter is like Kristen--takes note of ingredients we have and comes up with a meal. My brain refuses to work that way.
Nothing particularly frugal around here. Just getting through the days is tough enough without trying to figure out CVS Extra Bucks. Sigh. One a dese days things'll ease up.
@Rose,
Same here. I don't have time to menu plan or figure out CVS extra bucks haha.
I'm just trying to get through the day.
@Steph, Hi! You have BFF's name, who I was missing badly yesterday. So I did a double-take when I saw your comment. Unless you really are BFF, who I keep expecting to jump out one day and yell PYSCH! at me.
Sorry. I know, I'm odd.
@Steph, and I do know how to spell PSYCH! Unless it's "sike" like the kids write.
@Rose,
Hi Rose! Not BFF, sorry to disappoint you. But I have a feeling wherever BFF is, she is missing you just as badly as you miss her. The physical connection may be severed, but you clearly shared something that far outweighs the physical. May you find comfort in that.
Being "odd" makes life interesting.
@Steph, Thanks, sweetie pie. That cheered me up. People can die but love never dies.
@Steph, and Rose---Me, too! And I keep a wall hanging up where I can see it that says, "It's OK to have days where the only thing you do is survive."
And, "It's OK to have bad and unproductive days."
In addition, other helpful sayings, like, " You deserve love, care, and support." And, "Make time for yourself and take breaks." also, "Listen to your emotions and what they are trying to tell you." Got it on Amazon (no disclosure needed--ha!)
Now headed to personal Bible study time to get more strength and hope!
@Steph, Rose and everyone,
I don't meal plan.
I'm on the Seafood Diet.....I see food and I eat it! LOL!
You mean your cat didn't suggest shrimp or chicken?
Good for you, Kristen, on making the connection with your menu planning. I expect things will improve on that front now. And meal planning IS frugal. I hate it with a passion, but I do so much better money and timewise when I plan.
1. I have windows up at home. There's an air flow path from open windows in the loft through my bedroom door then my bathroom door to the open windows in the bathroom. It is a strong air flow, one that will suddenly bang a door shut, usually at 2 a.m. I have a doorstop my dad made to hold the bedroom door open, but I needed one for the bathroom door, and was looking for one when I remembered the sad iron I got from my dad's little collection of irons. It's a perfect doorstop for zero dollars.
2. I saved 50 cents a pound by cutting up my farm-bought chickens, which average 4-5 pounds each, myself. I also get to choose my cuts that way.
3. I used leftover scraps of cloth and insulated batting to make a potholder for myself.
4. My soaker hoses weren't working, so I checked all of them until I found one plugged with something that looked like seaweed. It gave me the willies, but I cleaned it out and now they work, so no need to replace them.
5. I had about 12-14 cleaning cloths to be washed and nothing to put them with to make a load, so I washed them by hand and hung them out on the line to dry. Less water, less soap, less electricity.
@JD, I too use an old sad-iron as a doorstop, for the same reason. The separated-at-birth twins ride again!
Hmm, she really should have because she LOVES chicken!
@JD, I live in a desert as far as rainfall goes and watering is vital to keep my precious flowers alive. I never even thought of trying to check a soaker hose. I'm not even sure how you would do that. I always just threw them away. I learned something new.
@A. Marie, It figures you would have one too!
@JD, Do you open your windows by temperature? Cool air would come in or go out down lower, warm air up higher, if they open at both top and bottom. I read an explanation once of how to coordinate the best air flow to cool a big old house, something I had not thought of before. More than my ranch house can handle, but interesting to think about the physics involved. Probably involved prevailing winds and fans as well.
@Heidi Louise,
I open my upstairs windows in pleasant, less humid weather and they draw out some of the rising hot air so it isn't stifling upstairs while still cool downstairs. I've toured old mansions that had ventilation windows at the tops of the houses for that reason, and also, I can leave the upstairs windows open with less worry about intruders. I realize they could simply break the glass on a closed window downstairs, but that makes a lot more noise than just pushing in or cutting through a window screen on an opened window. My house is small but tall and on a raised foundation- the upstairs windows are about 35 feet off the ground.
Hello! Daria from New Jersey. What frugal things I've done lately?...
On Sunday I went through my pantry and refrigerator (and freezer) and, on a plain sheet of printer paper, created a list for this week.
Side 1: HAVE (and listed all the items we already have)
Side 2: MAY NEED (wrote down what we *may* need).
On the bottom: EAT ME (any leftovers that are needed to be eaten).
The list went on the refrigerator, front and center. I feel
Bought... Nothing. I'm definitely an under-buyer by nature (grew up poor in Russia).
Happy belated birthday 🙂
Daria from momofchildren.wordpress.com
@Daria,
When I make my shopping list I always write down what I have, too, or I'll forget. Nothing like finding I bought carrots again when I already have three bags in the crisper.
I like your EAT ME category.
I'm sorry for the painful memory associated with menu planning for you. I hope you were able to process the emotions of the memory and move forward.
My FFT:
1. Ordered dog food from Chewy using coupon and savings on first autoship order, making the bag over 60% off.
2. Our local garden club was having a plant sale, so the kids and I went and picked up plants for the yard and garden. The most expensive plants were only $10, but most were $5 and under! We got a wagon filled with plants for just over $50.
3. Used pots from last year's plants for my newly acquired flowers.
4. Used leftovers hamburger buns to make bread pudding.
5. The usual - packed lunches and cooked meals at home.
Life doesn't seem too frugal for me lately, but that's not through lack of trying! I ended up eating takeout the last two nights after work, and it was fast food that is not going to work long term. On my meal planning front this week, I am going to take a look at what I can pack from home on work days (12 hr shifts) so that if I have to eat after work, it will be a bowl of cereal at home. I don't do any phone apps for food...I feel like that would encourage me to eat out more.
And triggers - sometimes they get me, too.
Oh yes, I am sure your life has been littered with triggers too since the loss of your husband!
1. While heating up leftovers, I scorched them and they tasted like campfire ash. I managed to eat them anyway since I hate waste of any kind.
2. Attended a community theatre production of La Cage Aux Folles. Well worth the $30 price of admission for 2.5 hours of fun and appreciation. While not entirely frugal, it was certainly less expensive than the professional theatre.
3. Went out to lunch with my sister and ordered the least expensive item - a large bowl of soup. Very satisfying.
4. Picked up free composting bags from City Hall.
5. While I was at City Hall, I noticed there was a corner stocked with free puzzles. When I'm done with the one I picked up, I'll return it and borrow another one.
@MB in MN, You must live in a very small town, I can't imagine my town offering free bags or puzzles. How nice!
Boy, you just never know when something is going to jump out and wreck you temporarily, huh? Serious bummer. My cooking pants are airborne so often they might as well have wings, so I definitely don't have the same feelings about menu planning, but if that's what makes you happy, I hope you can get back to it.
I'm supposed to have a "spa day" with my daughter today as her consolation prize for her being too little to go on the elementary field trip to Santa Fe. This was inspired by a Fancy Nancy book, which includes a recipe for a face mask made of banana and honey. We have the banana and honey, so I suppose we'll have to do that, much as I dislike having anything on my face, particularly anything sticky like that. But the "face masks" will go to the chickens when we're done with it.
The book also features a "foot soak." I happen to have some foot soak packets that I think are at least 30 years old. My mother-in-law gave them to me at least ten years ago, and I think they'd been sitting around her house a loooong time before that. I guess they were just waiting for a little girl to need them for a spa day. 🙂
Spa day will also include letting my five-year-old paint my nails (something I never, ever do) and do my hair, and I think I'll make her a pink smoothie with frozen strawberries. If anyone has any other ideas for a "spa" activity for a five-year-old, let me know. I'm not very good at this sort of thing . . .
@kristin @ going country, You could make oatmeal masks instead--oatmeal is really good for your skin. And if you have some cukes, slice them for over your eyes! That will make your girl laugh.
@kristin @ going country, I'm not very girly by any stretch & I have all teenage boys, lol... But back massages or scented baths come to mind as ideas. Naps/reading are always great "spa" options too, right?? 🙂 Enjoy your fun time together!
@kristin @ going country,
You could make “spa water” with cut up cucumbers and mint. If you don’t have those, a couple slices of citrus (orange, lemon, lime)
Another thought is a DIY hair mask. Link for inspiration https://www.self.com/story/diy-hair-mask
@kristin @ going country, My acupuncture lady started doing a honey treatment on my face......the stickiness helps lift my skin up to help break up binding stuff in my muscles.
Oh, I love this spa day idea! You are a good mama.
@kristin @ going country, I don't think you mentioned this but painting her toenails and finger nails would probably make her day. Also, dampen and "set" her hair, maybe using rags like they did a century ago and explain to her that's probably how her great grandmother curled her hair.
@kristin @ going country, Some kind of new agey music should be playing in the background.
I used to call this "flat rocks music" because all the relaxing tracks on YouTube have a pile of flat rocks near the water as their background photo. Ha.
@Heidi Louise, That is the PLAIN truth. With some tuneless kind of pipe instruments.
Signed,
Not a Girly Girl Either But I Like My Massages
@kristin @ going country,
If you have any extra spices or essential oils, put them in water in a crock pot so it will exude a scent but you don't have to fear scorching. Lavender is a favorite for calming.
Warm up some clean rocks and put them on a towel on her back while she lies down.
A face massage.
A warm hair mask - put conditioner in her hair, wrap in a really warm towel, rinse out when cool.
Soak her feet in a tub with flower petals in the water, rub them all over with a washcloth then lotion them.
I work one floor up from a spa, can you tell?
@kristin @ going country, One of my fondest memories of my father was when he let me put those snap-on pink rollers in his hair. It was very out of character for him to play with any of us, and as far as I can recall he never let me do it again. ("Life is not for playing, it is for work" was one of his frequent sayings. We kids used to amuse ourselves by mimicking him saying that in his heavy Lithuanian accent, along with other favorites like "Nice girls don't chew gum like cows" and "I will give you something to complain about.") Reading about your daughter wanting to do your hair reminded me of that pink roller event, so I thank you for making my day.
@kristin @ going country, I think the people who HAD to go on the field trip to Santa Fe will be jealous when they find out what they missed.
I like Kristen's comment about "flat rocks music." So true.
@kristin@going country, While you are waiting for whatever else you do, a nice snack of hot tea (possibly spiced) with a cookie will help fill the time until the toenail polish (or whatever else) dries or is ready. Esp. if you serve it on china cups. I have a really nice book called "Frugal Luxuries: Simple Pleasures to Enhance Your Life and Comfort Your Soul" by Tracey McBride. She is a mother of little girls (or at least they were young when the book was written) and she has ideas for tea parties and all kinds of girly-girly mom and daughter(s) quality time. She gets inexpensive china tea sets from Goodwill and estate sales and fixes up a spot in her garden and does all kinds of neat stuff. It would have a lot of great ideas for you, and if you can't find a copy at the library, websites like Thrift Books would let you buy inexpensive used copies from them. (Also try your local used book store, thrift stores and little free libraries....you may luck out....) I think I saw a "look inside" feature when I looked this up online, so you could read a few pages for free.
Those random memories that surface can really get you when you least expect it. I'm glad you are getting to the other side of "hard."
We've been without electricity for 24 hours now, and, as always, it makes me realize how much we rely on it. But it's not nearly as bad as the same outage at -20 degrees!
1) We spent 2 free nights at a Radisson in North Philly using points.
2) I sold 4 items on ebay.
3) The neighbor gave us a bouquet of daffodils and they look so bright and cheerful on my window sill.
4) I packed a breakfast and lunch for a recent out of town trip (see #1), saving $ on the drive. Eating out is getting soooo crazy!
5) We are in that magic time of not needing too much heat or AC!
Oh yes, losing power in the winter is so awful, especially when you don't have a fireplace!
@Kristen, Winter Storm Uri and the Great Texas Blackout prompted me to get a gas fireplace/heater installed. It doesn't require electricity. (But does require natural gas or propane). Highly recommended!
Dear sweet Kristen,
It's so interesting to me how our body is always aware of things but mentally, we may not be. I hope that realization does indeed help you over that hump. You talked the other day about reclaiming places and things, and I wonder if there's a way for you to change up your meal planning and make it all yours again. Best wishes to you on your continued healing. I am rooting for you!
Christie
Yes. There's so much un-hitching work to do; to silence the words that ring in my ears, to reclaim things, to detach them from past criticism and expectations, to move them to a place where I do them out of free choice.
Paris Paloma, in her song "Labour" writes:
"Who tends the orchards?
Who fixes up the gables?
Emotional torture
From the head of your high table
Who fetches the water
From the rocky mountain spring?
And walk back down again
To feel your words and their sharp sting?"
@Kristen, I can't relate but I hope so much that all this will fade into the past for you soon.
I can't relate because I am the sharp tongued one and the one who never backs down from an argument. A friend of mine wrote an award winning story about a famous chef who assaulted her verbally every day; it was a poweful piece but all I could think was, "Why didn't you yell back?" To me, yelling back is as natural as breathing.
It's pretty humbling to be in my late 50s and realize oh wait, not everyone is like me. If I could take the sharp sting away I would.
I used to be a little hard on myself for having not pushed back. But the more I learn about this particular type of relationship dynamic, the more I understand that there was no way I could have done this more "right"; that no matter how I showed up, it wouldn't have made things ok.
So there is some solace in that.
@Rose, same for me.
@Kristen, Ah. Makes sense. For me, yelling back is a fundamental thing about my personality, not taking guff from anyone. It's not about making things OK in the relationship; it's about making things OK with myself. If someone screamed in my face and I didn't give it back, I'd've been ashamed of myself later on, and frankly I care more about my opinion of myself than I do other people's opinion of me.
I am sure that if my friend screamed back at the chef in the restuarant where she was working, she would have been fired. Me, I'd rather be fired for screaming back than taking his sh-- , not that this thought would have occurred to me at the time. I'd've just seen the red mist and let him have it with both blasts.
Remember I'm odd and almost certainly autistic. I am just different. It has caused me many many huge problems in my life.
@Rose, You need to meet my sister, the one who felt her boss stick his hand down the back of her pants when she was bent over, turned around and punched him so hard in the face that she broke his nose. And she is only 5'4" and about 100 pounds. She said she thought he would remember a good clobbering more than a chat with the human relations department.
@Lindsey, Tell your sister she is my heroine! Good for her!
I love your comment about sauce. I agree. I eat enough food to soak up my condiments.
And I have found less and less birthday freebies since COVID, but glad you are enjoying some.
I hope you can get back to menu planning. Funny how we can suddenly get clarity about something we've been struggling with.
1. Am planting more and more perennials so I spend less and less each year on my yard, plus plant sharing with others.
2. Stayed out of the grocery a few days this week. I LOVE grocery shopping.
3. Shared clothes I never wear with my grown daughters. Frugal for them, as they actually wanted some of them.
4. Since we are having such a nice spring, I have my windows open, and we have not turned on the a/c yet. And I'm in Louisiana!
5. Made sure not to let my library books get overdue. I'm pretty bad about that.
@Carolyn, I thought I was in the minority of people who love to grocery shop. I moved from Virginia back to my home state. My husband finds it irritating that the things I miss most is Publix and Wegmans. But a wegmans opened about 30 minutes from me. So of course I pack up the kids and drive there twice a month. I just love browsing the aisles and finding new foods to try. 🙂
@Jenn W, I totally get it. And I don't understand why everyone is so thrilled with curbside pickup!
@Carolyn, Going into the grocery store makes me feel like I am being bombarded with colors and lights and noise. There were not a lot of great things about the lockdown but curbside pickup is the bomb! (And a life savers when I can't walk so am in my wheelchair. But even on days when I feel like I could be a long jumper, I don't go inside unless I absolutely have to.)
@Carolyn, I'm not sure that I actually enjoy shopping but I do usually go down every aisle. See, I have my list, and my mental list, and my mental list of things to buy when the price is good, and my envelope of coupons, and my mental list of occasional impulse buys. There's no way that curbside pickup could cover all that, not to mention I see how those shoppers pick produce for the customer - whatever's on the top of the pile.
@Carolyn,
I’m with Lindsey. I hate grocery shopping. Too many choices, too many decisions…. The first time I went to a wegman’s I almost had a complete panic attack. I ended up leaving my cart & struggled to find my way out. The only thing that kept me upright was the fear of the embarrassment of being found curled up in the fetal position in the dairy section.
Now I farm my grocery shopping out whenever I can.
I just have one frugal thing to report. Nearly two months ago, I receiived an order of stamps USPS thru the mail but the package had been broken into and the post office attached a sticker (package damaged) So II wrote an email to the USPS and filed a claim,. No response. I called. Certainly the USPS has insurance on stamps they mail? If anyone would it would be them? So I sent three "snail mail" notes and FINALLY the pack arrived with my replacement stamps. One of which was a $48 roll of postcard stamps that I had been waiting on to send postcard announcements for my new book!
@Millicent, Good for you for getting your stamps! Dealing with USPS customer service is a tedious experience akin to banging your head into a wall over and over.
Ohh, a $48 roll of stamps is definitely worth fighting for!
Good Morning! I just wanted to pop on here and say "Hello". I have been following your blog for a few years and absolutely love it. I don't usually comment but thought I would take a moment today to tell you how much I appreciate your posts and all you share. Thank you for that. Have a beautiful day.
Aww, thank you so much for taking the time to encourage me!
1. I planted over 38 tomato seedlings, 16 pepper seedlings, spinach, green beans, okra, sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, asters, petunias, lantana and impatiens. Assuming a successful harvest this will provide my family with veggies, sauces, salsas for at least one year. The flowers will drive pollinators and be a lovely presence in our home for pennies on the dollar for seed & upkeep. Plus I love to garden so that gives an entertainment value here too 🙂
2. I purchased ground beef at Sam's saving over $0.60/lb. I brought the huge 10lb package home and divided it into freezer bags for later use. While there I also bought bone-in chicken thighs right around $1/lb.
3. I sowed seeds for black-eyed susans, daisies, and coneflowers. I REALLY wanted to buy the plants from the nursery that were already big and lovely but I saved a bundle spending $20 on seed rather than $24.95 per plant.
4. I turned off the HVAC and aired out our home with fresh air. I love doing this when the weather allows.
5. I scheduled our annual Spring maintenance for our HVAC and changed all of the filters at the same time. Maintenance is far less expensive than repairs.
Whoa, that's an impressive gardening list!
It’s a struggle to think of current frugal happenings in my life …
- I sold my extra extra tomato seedlings. Not knowing exactly how many seeds will germinate each year, I always over-plant. I give away plants every year, but this year I had more than I needed for myself and to give to neighbors, so I posted my offerings on a local Facebook plant page. Everything was quickly sold, plus I got to meet some new nice people.
- My 13yo son and I took inventory of his clothing (Frugal Zealot style) and shoes before getting anything new for summer. I like to be prepared when I see sales so I don’t overbuy certain items/sizes. My son has been on an organizing kick, so I had to take advantage!
- I organized my chest freezer, so I can more efficiently use up all the things.
- I continue to use my free frosting buckets for growing, library for books and Wii games, etc.
@JenRR,
There is a couple in my city that grow seedlings and sell to others. They post on FB when they are ready to sell and we go down to buy them. They aren't the cheapest ($3 or $4/plant) but we like to support our neighbors so we buy a bunch from them. It's great for people like us who don't have the space in our apartments to grow our own seedlings inside.
@Jaime, for the last few years, I've bought my tomato seedlings from a friend of Dr. Bestest Neighbor who raises them to benefit the local Master Gardeners group (of which Dr. BN is a member). All heirloom tomatoes, and I'm happy to help the MGs.
@Jaime, I’m glad you are able to get good plants from a neighbor. Definitely keeping it local! I really love growing plants from seed, but I understand not having space. My house is overrun with seedlings this time of year. Everything I grow is heirloom and the weirder the better.
1. I washed the cushion covers for our couch and noticed the bottom zippers on two of the back covers had torn away from the material. My first thought was to take them to the drycleaners, who could fix them for me. BUT...I had just read yesterday's blog post, was inspired and decided to sew them myself! Hand sew them; I don't have a machine! So, I sewed them, did a great job and saved that little bit of money!
2. We are eating leftovers. My husband is the cook and he is very creative. No throwing food away in this house!!
3. I have a huge veggie garden (13 raised garden beds; we live in a suburb of Tulsa, OK) and have been using veggies from it now.
4. Still getting our large eggs from a chicken "farmer" close to us and since we're good customers, he lowered the price from $4.75 to $4 per dozen.
5. Had a horrible experience at the vet clinic last week with our Westie, Libby. What happened has happened several times now, so, long story short...we were looking for another vet and have found one we like. Private vet, no understaffed, overbooked clinic this time.
YAY for your mending!!!
@Viktoria M Sacker,
Hi Viktoria! I am new to OK and am struggling with trying to garden! I am a WA state transplant and it is so different here.
Any suggestions or resources for someone like me?
@Carol,
As a Master Gardener, I would say that you should look for the closest university extension office. They have a wealth of information to draw from and can point you locally to educational opportunities.
@Carol, Usually most states have Agricultural Extension Offices in each county, and Master Gardener programs. Both can help you with your home gardening and landscaping questions. Ask the librarians at your public library for good books about Oklahoma gardening. There is a magazine called Southern Living, and it has extensive gardening and landscaping information; I think it covers Oklahoma as well as my state of Texas. Also if you're anywhere near the Texas border, see if you can get ahold of Neil Sperry's books on Texas Gardening and look up information about North Texas or the Panhandle region that would be close to your new hometown. I'm sure Oklahoma has some home-grown gardening experts, too, but I don't know who they are. But all of the above-named folks would know this information and can get you started.
I have fallen off the wagon of meal planning, though in our case it's due one bad cold after another Things are definitely less frugal and organized when we aren't feeling well. And the TV is on a lot. My perspective: everyone fed, no one died? All good.
1. We cleared a space for my old armchair in the corner of the office so that I can sit and read by the window. We did buy two wall-lamps for the room, because it has no overhead lighting, and now the space is much more usable.
2. I replaced the buttons on an old blouse and an old cardigan, both of which I'd made. In one case, the buttons were "novelty"-ish and kind of cheesy, and in the other case they fell apart in the wash! Now I have two garments that I can wear regularly again.
3. I made a lasagna to use up some mushrooms and spinach that we had....except that you can buy frozen lasagna cheaper than making it, with the cost of cheese! Still, though, mine was healthier and tastier.
4. My professional association gets me a hotel discount, which we used to book our trip for a wedding we're attending in August.
5. My workplace had our yearly party last night, and my mom kindly offered to baby-sit for us. Mr. B and I got to have a little date night out.
Kristen, happy belated birthday from me too! Glad you have kept enjoying some small birthday perks and have also been able to own menu planning for yourself again.
That said, spring is a bit messy for us as far as meal planning goes, sports, birthdays and other events messing up the routines.
1. For our twins birthday party, skipped the party fee at a venue and instead paid the entrance fees separately for everyone, with sleepover and cake at our house. This works well now when the kids are older.
2. Made fried rice out of leftover Chinese food. (We got way too many rice containers with our order for the birthday party!)
3. Keep using our garden for salad ingredients and herbs.
4. After many years of doing without, bought a shed for storage in our yard, paying for it in cash. We have kept our tools cluttering in the laundry room and a variety of yard equipment rusting in the yard for way too long.
5. When I ran out of liquid hand soap in the bathroom, skipped buying more and instead have been using up all those cute bar soaps that have accumulated as gifts.
Last week was a very frugal week for my bank account – I was on a week long business trip and all my expenses were covered by my company. My family did eat at home while I was gone but their meals were simple because of time constraints.
The only souvenir I brought home was a pair of pajama pants for my son. He needed a new pair so this was a perfect item to bring home!
I used the hotel’s shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I packed all my travel/sample size items for anything else I needed so I didn’t have to purchase any toiletries for the trip.
Not really a frugal win: I stepped in to fill a “patient” role for demonstration purposes for a workshop I was running. A physician ran tests on me to show other physicians how to run the tests. It wasn’t a full medical exam, but the physician did mention that some tests were hard to run because I didn’t have the affliction they were looking for which kind of felt like a free trip to the doctor’s office!
So sorry your painful memory arose.
I was wondering about your selling glasses. I didn't know that was a possibility. I'm assuming people buy them for the frames? May I ask how you know how much to ask for them?
Yes, people buy them for the frames! I set the price the same way I do for other eBay items; I search for the item I'm selling, click on "completed listings" and see what this item has actually, factually sold for. Because sometimes the active listing prices are just wishful thinking on the sellers' parts! Ha.
Menu planning is hard! But very frugal! Good job!
I didn't do very many frugal things this week. My husband did a couple things...
1. My husband brought home 150 expired Kcups that his work was going to throw away. Someone gave us a Keurig last year but we rarely use it (thanks to expensive cost and kinda wasteful plastic use). But we are going to use these K cups since they would have been tossed anyway.
2. My husband finished tutoring a high school student in an AP subject. We found this job on Facebook and he was able to earn probably $600 over the past couple months. It all went into our emergency fund.
Those are the only frugal things I can come up with this week. Sometimes I think just the regular cleaning & chores (maintenance so things don't break down), cooking at home (vs. restaurant $$), using up food we already have, enjoying books from the library, avoiding impulse shopping, using the free version of an app, playing board games we already own, etc...... It all feels small but it is frugal too.
Have a great week!
@Maggie,
"Sometimes I think just the regular cleaning & chores (maintenance so things don’t break down), cooking at home (vs. restaurant $$), using up food we already have, enjoying books from the library, avoiding impulse shopping, using the free version of an app, playing board games we already own, etc…… It all feels small but it is frugal too."
I feel exactly the same way....
@Maggie, all those things in your final paragraph indicate a lifestyle of frugality. They might feel small to you, but they show that you've got this frugal thing down!
A lot of the "frugal" things I do never occur to me since I've been doing them all my life and I always figured everyone did it. Like cutting open tubes to get the last bits out, toasting stale cereal in the oven, mending and repairing... it's just the way I was brought up. Apparently not everyone was.
@Maggie, Those small things save a lot of money over time and also help keep us in the frugal mindset. It's extremely valuable.
FFT
1) Used $66 worth of coupons at BJs. Granted the trip was still expensive but I clipped the coupons in the app before I left and focused on buying those things we needed. Some coupons even stacked. BJs is the only place I use coupons anymore.
2) Got a half gallon of 2% milk in a TGTG bag on Friday but we still had milk from our milk delivery. Yesterday we used the milk and Kristen's chocolate pudding recipe (+ espresso powder) and now we have dessert for the next few days
3) Had dinner at SILs last week and offered to bring dessert. Normally we would have most likely just picked one up on the way but instead we made a tres leches cake from scratch. It was a hit
4) Got some produce for a fraction of the price on $dollardealmonday at the neighborhood store
5) Go the audio book of a book I wanted to read from the library.
1 - I've cut out coffee, dairy & sugar for health reasons so I guess it's saving me quite a bit of money! Hopefully, just a short time without it all.
2 - I was given a 5 pound bag of Mandarin oranges. I shared some with my son & his ex wife so my grandson would have them to eat at all three houses.
3 - We just finished the houseplans for our new house. We went very simple & saved quite a bit by choosing a simple floorplan, keeping the plumbing all in one part of the house, being frugal with window placement & size....we did splurge in some areas but the savings has made that possible.
4. I've been packing picnics for park days with my grandson.
5 - We used a gift card to celebrate our anniversary.
I haven't commented on here in quite some time because I haven't felt frugal, I've felt down right broke. But I do have a major frugal win to share. After some long years of working for the state, my student loans have been forgiven! To the tune of $64K!!! My salary has not been glamorous, but this is one of the reasons why I've stayed in my job. It has finally paid off and I can praise the Lord! I'll now try to list a few more things that don't compare AT ALL to that amount.
1. This one is annoying, but our truck as been at the shop for about 5 weeks now. We bought a new to us truck and we noticed the day after we brought it home that the driver's window did not work. This dealership has tried almost everything to get it fixed and the frugal part is that we have had a free rental the entire time. I've encouraged hubby to just keep adding the miles to that vehicle instead of ours when he has to travel for work.
2. Hit up some thrift stores and found that it was either 50% off day or 75% off. I found my son a pair of like new work boots. He is only 10 and has gone through two pairs of mens work boots at boy scout camp. I have zero idea how boy scout camp can be so hard on shoes, but it does so I was happy to find this pair at half off.
3. Its almost summer time and I needed to buy our family pool pass. A local non-profit was having a auction and a family pool pass was one of the items up for bid. I didn't get the pool pass for super cheap, but I did save $20 and the money will go to the non-profit.
4. Its the end of the semester here at my place of work, so many events are offering food. Free food is always appreciated.
I think that's all I have for now.
@Jenelle,
Congratulation s on the loan forgiveness. And enjoy the free food at work.
@Jenelle, A hearty congrats on the student loan forgiveness. What a load off your mind!
@Jenelle, Congratulations on the student loan forgiveness, that is awesome!
Oof. Sorry about the memory thing. Sucks when they come out of nowhere and stomp on you like that...you'll get to the point where when that happens you'll mentally look that memory in the eye, nod in acknowledgement, give it a hug and then tuck it back into bed where it belongs.
In the meantime...Hugs.
Five frugal things.
1. Was in dire need of workout clothing so I went to Nike outlet (I know...but, I will say that their sports bras and leggings last longer on me for whatever reason...shoes to) anyway, hit the clearance racks and scored big time and got outta there way below what my budget was saying I could spend.
2. Learned how to make a decent Chai tea latte at home so I can stay out of Starbucks when the caffeine monster swats me up side the head...the sweaty little accountant in my head is happy about this.
3. Repaired some hiking shorts and cleaned up/conditioned my hiking boots so I'm all set to hit the trails.
4. The styrofoam in the front of my kayak was crumbling apart so husband and I cut new ones from a pilfered block and odd peices from packing styrofoam ( with permission) from his works garbage bin and replaced all of the old stuff.
5. Been lucking out with sales on vegetables and fresh fruit so we're happy to be eating more quality grain and plant based meals while staying well below our food budget.
@April, "the sweaty little accountant in my head" —priceless! Thank you for that great word picture.
@April, I'm enjoying envisioning the arguments in your head between the caffeine monster and the sweaty little accountant!
@April, would you share the chai tea? I’m addicted but hate the prices
Sounds like you found the why for not doing your habit of meal planning. Just take one day a week to plan--work up to 2, etc., etc.
I spent the weekend with my "quilting" friends. I dabble. I did finish one quilt top laying around. I had a large piece that I liked for the backing. Now I have to put the 3 layers together.
I also put together a pillow top that I'll put together for my granddaughter. I had spent a little time with her at the sewing machine a while back--she did two of the squares. I used "stash".
As I was ripping through my box of fabric, I came up with fabric to make a couple more tops. My friend had brought a charity quilt pattern from a shop. I'll find someone who needs a comfort size quilt--I'll start with that size.
We brought all our own food and drink. The 3-day weekend cost $100--Where can you go for 3 days, lasagna dinner, chicken pot pie dinner, French toast casserole breakfast, sandwiches and snacks and desserts for $100? Lots of laughs.
And we went for a couple of walks. The cottage was right next to walking trails.
I found a stroller for free on Offer up. It was a brand that had been recommended. It just needs a bit of cleaning.
I found a yard sale put on by a bunch of homeschoolers. We got a bunch of great kids books for $.50 each!
At the same yard sale I bought a small teapot that serves two. Up to this point when I served tea to a friend I had to brew it in a mason jar. (It is hard to pour tea out of a mason jar.
We are making a week of meals out of bits and scraps of leftovers.
I found some basically new baby clothes on facebook marketplace. The frugality of this is questionable because it was a huge bundle of 0-3 months. I'm giving some to my sister and donating some to the pregnancy and we've agreed that I'm not allowed on Facebook marketplace for a while.
Oh my gosh, can I just say that the Safeway brand Blood Orange sparkling water is THE best flavor they have!! I've been a Superman of it for years now. It's SO good, especially when it's icy cold. So good choice on that one! There were some very dark days during COVID where it was very hard to find that flavor. haha Oh, and may I also say, SAUCE FOR ALLL THE THINGS!!!! I love it so much too. 🙂
1 - I got my proceeds from the tag sale and was happy to see that nearly everything (and everything priced over $5) sold. My best sale was two pairs of ice skates I had bought used for $10 each three years ago sold for $10 each. Annoyingly we never used them because my kid went through those sizes during COVID when the indoor rinks were closed and the outdoor ones didn't open because it was a really warm winter, but at least I'm net $0.
2 - I returned two pairs of pants that I bought mistakenly. I dropped them off in person to avoid the shipping fee. I had already ordered the correct pairs.
3 - I sold an item on Etsy, and shipped it in a box I already had.
4 - Not sure this is frugal, but our town has changed soccer kits so I dropped off all our old ones so they can be donated to another soccer program that will continue to use them. I'm happy stuff we don't need is out of the house and going to a good cause.
5 - Baseball season started. Two kids were bigger and therefore able to upgrade their bats to ones we already had from older siblings. Another kid upsized their cleats to a hand-me-down pair.
Kristen, you can sell PRESCRIPTION GLASSES on eBay?? Who buys them? How do you explain the strength??
FFT (lots of eBay)
1. Sold an old Dino piano book on eBay for $25 (paid $3 brand new in the 1970s)
2. One of the pairs of jeans I ordered on eBay didn't arrive so it got refunded.
3. Bought a package of ramen noodles for some cabbage salad recipe, saved the flavor packet and used it in a pot of beans. (Yes, I know that is a weak frugal thing.)
4. Decided the Crocs I bought on eBay (a style I hadn't tried) are not keepers, so I will resell them.
5. Split a 6-pack of zucchini plants at the local hardware store with the manager there because we are a 2-person household. (Risky, knowing how most of what I plant dies before it produces.)
People buy them for the frames! So they don't care what the prescription is, thankfully.
Kristen, you deserve all the hugs. And that photo of the cat helping with the meal planning is so cute.
Nothing really exciting about my frugal week: saved $8 at the drugstore combining a sale and a coupon on a pricey item, DH renewed his Costco membership to take advantage of the great savings on gas and hearing aid batteries, mended a sheet, hemmed some thrifted slacks, rack-dried some laundry on the back porch, and baked more homemade bread. Little things, but they do add up.
Emotional damage is sneaky that way sometimes. You think you're ok and you're dealing with it and them bam - it's in your face in an unexpected way. Kudos to you for working through it and letting it be.
As far as frugal stuff:
1. The girls needed a new pair of hiking shoes. Started looking. Kept looking. Found some at REI for a great price.
2. My parents are easy going but I still feel some pressure when I have them over for dinner. Decided to make a zucchini bake for them; the day before I had picked up some zucchini on sale and used up some things I had in the refrigerator. I kept it simple and yet everyone enjoyed their meal.
3. Went to a friend's house and wanted to bring something. Used ingredients we had around the house to make pumpkin muffins. realized we didn't have eggs and subbed in a chia egg instead. Worked fine!
4. Continue to eat lunch at home instead of saying yes when my husband asks if I want Chick-fil-e or pizza or In n Out for lunch.
5. The bag of chia seeds used in #3 included proportions for chia eggs that I either misunderstood or were just flat out wrong (FTR, I think it's #2). So I have a bunch of extra soaked seeds that I've been dropping into my iced tea so that they don't end up being wasted.
@CrunchyCake, My husband is forbidden to offer me Filet-o-Fish sandwiches except on Friday. I can have slaved all afternoon to make something like Beef Wellington but still I would be tempted by the fish sandwich.
Your kitty is just too cute. We have a tuxedo cat too and I am just so partial to them.
1. I picked up 2 bottles of multivitamins from Buy Nothing, which are very similar to the multivitamin I take already. This saves me about $50.
2. My daughter and I went to the local public market this weekend. The produce is so much cheaper than the grocery store and often it is local. We got lemons, lots of apples, apple cider, and tomatoes for $13. The rest of our groceries cost $88 at Aldi this week, which is not bad for a family of 4.
3. My husband may need surgery on his finger from a volleyball injury this past weekend. The urgent care visit, x-ray, and orthopedic visit have so far only cost us $55. He also went to the dentist this week for a routine cleaning/check-up, which was free. Thank goodness for the good health insurance we have through my employer!
4. My niece is coming to sleep over this weekend. The kids wanted to have a pizza party. I purchased 2 big pizzas from Aldi's for $13 rather than ordering pizza. We will make mug chocolate cakes for dessert.
5. The one sink in our main bathroom broke and would not turn off. My husband replaced both sinks in that bathroom, so they matched, for $100 total. It would have cost so much if we needed a plumber.
@Corrine, mug chocolate cakes? Do tell, please!
We mostly menu plan so that we know what we're having and can plan for people to take turns cooking...also so DH doesn't have to go to the store every day! Ha. But we do it a little differently than I've seen most frugal sites recommend one menu plan...we have a list of "regular favorite" meals, and I sent out a Google Doc for everyone to vote on five dinner ideas. Whatever gets the most votes, we have. And in the case of a tie, I think about if it's been a recent dinner, or what's more economical. Weekends are always our homemade pizzas (using either tortillas or homemade pizza crusts), so that is a no-brainer.
--I went for my first professional trim since starting to grow out an ill-advised pandemic pixie cut a year and a half ago. While it grows out, I've been hacking away at the mullet back myself (or having my husband do it), but it was finally annoying me enough that I wanted to get it evened out. I just went up to Great Clips, and was pleasantly surprised to find they were having a haircut sale, $8.99. I did tip my haircutter $10; having worked in a service industry I believe in "overtipping." It was still quite a bit cheaper than going to a fancy salon! And my hair is not annoying me nearly as much anymore.
--After getting my haircut I had planned to hit the library, which is in the area, but my haircut was done so quickly that I had at least an hour to kill before the library opened. I thought about browsing in the Kroger Marketplace, but realized I didn't really need anything, and would be likely to impulse buy something, so instead I drove to a nearby bike/walking path and got some outside exercise in. Much better use of my time.
--Library books, now and always and forever. I did use my Amazon points to purchase some Will Cuppy books, which are delightful. But I'm regretting my Amazon points impulse buy of The Tuesday Murder Club--I'm sure it's a good book, but I'm annoyed at the change of (small) typeface for each different narrator in the story. It is a little thing, but very distracting, and I'm betting it wouldn't bug me as much if I had just been patient and waited to read the e-book from the library on my Kindle. I will probably donate my copy to our Little Free Library. Lesson learned--library, ILL if necessary, or Kindle Unlimited before buying!
--Drawing a birthday card for my goddaughter with the supplies I have on hand.
--Eating all meals at home, baking our own treats. We go through quite a bit of cocoa powder, so I found a better deal on Amazon via Subscribe and Save. My husband insists the Hershey's is better than the store brand, so I looked for that. I did the same for vanilla extract, flaxseed meal, and coconut flour as well.
--
I'm glad you were able to figure out what was going on with the menu planning. Grace to you, Kristen.
My FFT:
1. I stuck to my list at an estate sale for my aunt's mom's house. There were some very pretty glass bowls (oh, how I love beautiful glass dishes!) but I didn't indulge because I have enough, I don't really have space for more, and there are other things I know I will want money for later this month. (Side note: my aunt's mom is not any relation to me whatsoever, so I'm not passing on family heirlooms here... just things that are pretty.)
2. I cleaned up more downed trees from our February ice storm. I know that I've listed this half a dozen times, but I am not excited about spending my time doing this and therefore remind myself every time of how much we would have had to pay a tree company to do it for us.
3. I had been thinking about buying something for my garden for my peas to climb but instead... while cleaning up a bunch of branches on Saturday, I picked out 15 or so that will make great poles. I was so happy to find a free solution and felt very satisfied when my fellow-gardening neighbor said, "That's actually a really good idea!"
4. This is mostly my husband... I pretty much only screwed on a few nuts! But on Saturday he replaced the front shocks and the muffler to our van! He amazes me with all the handy things he's willing to tackle.
5. So much free entertainment in the form of podcasts, audiobooks, and books. I am really loving a couple of new-to-me podcasts right now! My 4yo still naps most days and I typically get a decent chunk of time in the early afternoon to listen while working around the house.
@Ruth T, using tree branches as pea supports is a gardening tradition that's hundreds of years old--so you're participating in a small piece of gardening history, as well as being frugal!
@Ruth T,
Good job sticking to your list at an estate sale. It's so hard for me.
@A. Marie, Even better! Love it!
1. I mended some clothes.
2. We enjoyed free entertainment. We went to the zoo using our annual zoo pass which is still frugal because we go to the zoo often.
3. We ate most of our meals at home and used up leftovers.
4. I didn't buy anyone new spring or summer clothes yet. Everyone has enough right now. My husband did buy himself 3 new dress shirts, but they were replacements.
5. I sewed a patch on my kid's uniform. I used some material on hand for a project.
I'm so happy for you, Kristen, that you are in a "getting over humps" stage of life. It's such hard, painful work, but so worth it in the long term.
1) I'm in a weird in-between time in academia this summer where my employment contracts don't exactly line up, which leaves me without income for a few months and our family without health insurance. So I spoke up to my current university and made a case (from their perspective) of why they should pay me and give me health insurance over the summer. It worked! I'm so glad I spoke up when my impulse was to just quietly accept the easiest path.
2) I rescheduled a kid’s doctors appointment that was supposed to be this week, and am waiting to schedule other check-ups and a non-emergency procedure until I clear up the details of my health insurance over the next couple months. I’m not sure if our deductible will reset or not. These are things that can easily be put off, and it might save us significant cash to wait until our next health insurance plans starts in August.
3) I spent the last few months in a university center. A couple weeks ago they offered to let me take what books I wanted out of their closet of "seconds and thirds"--they run a major book prize, so they get several copies of many submissions a year. Low and behold it was so many books that I use in my work; books that I have been checking out over and over from libraries. I had to pay to ship the books home (media mail!), but in the end $156 in shipping and some achy muscles from carrying heavy boxes to the post office (I don't have a car here) scored me 130 free books that I needed.
4) The car was making a sound we knew needed to be addressed, and then the check engine light came on for a few days, so I had made an appointment to take it to our mechanic on Tuesday. Well, the car broke down on the way to church two days before said appointment. Luckily, my brother is a mechanical engineer who is at his happiest when he is under a hood. Evidently, he needed an excuse to get out of the house on Sunday—you should have heard the joy in his voice when I asked if he had time to look at the car. It was a wheel bearing, which he changed for the price of the part. My brother even has the thing that checks the check engine light. He said it is a thing we don’t really need to worry about now, but maybe keep an eye on. The even better part is the wheel bearing might be covered because we just had it put on last year. I’m taking the receipt to my mechanic to see if they can get me reimbursed.
5) I’ve been on the road so much for the last year that our pantry has a build-up of those food items that are hard to get eaten. By that I mean the things that take a little more planning and effort to work into recipes to eat up: the last bit of arborio rice, strawberry powder that I bought for a cake I made, oatmeal packets that someone gave us, bread crumbs. Now that I am home my dinner prep will be about eating these things up and thinning our stock. So far I have put off grocery shopping for a few days this week already as I concoct creative dinners to eat things up.
Your #4: so wonderful to have a brother like that! And Lisey has an OBD reader too. Very handy for when the dreaded check engine light comes on.
You and the cat are so photogenic!
Haha, thank you! You should see how many failed attempts at selfies I have with her. Normally she is SO uncooperative. I could swear she's camera shy!
@Kristen, in my experiences photographing animals, if you point a camera at a dog, it runs toward the lens; if you point a camera at a cat, it licks its privates. THIS is one of the main reasons I am not a Kitty/Puppy artist!
A lot of times if my cat is on the floor and I squat down to take a picture of her, she stops whatever cute thing she was doing and she runs toward me. I have missed so many cute shots because of this!
I don't have any hard things surrounding meal planning, but I think my overwhelm in other areas has taken my energy from meal planning. Part of it is that I don't want to cook ANYTHING most of the time lately (even though I usually tell people cooking is my hobby). We are at the end of the homeschool year and I have a lot of other spinning plates. So, I'm hoping this is a temporary phase and I can get back to being more creative and energized with food in the future.
Yay for birthday bonuses! I need to step it up in a couple of months when its my birthday. I usually just get the free starbucks, but I am signed up for a lot more.
Life has not been too frugal for me lately, but I have been trying.
1. Gutted my budget and rebuilt it. Both my pets and I are having ongoing medical issues so I needed to start from scratch and prioritize paying for those. Rebuilding the budget, is not really frugal, per se, but it does better help me live within my means.
2. Ordered prescription cat food from Chewy and saved $3 over buying it from the vet. I was hoping it would be a lot less expensive online. But $3 is something, at least.
3. Cancelled a streaming services I like, but did not use often enough to justify the cost.
4. Decided to mow my own lawn! Due to chronic illness, I considered hiring someone to help maintain my yard this summer. But the going rate in my area seems to start at around $150/per month. So, that is not happening. I will hire the company I did last year for a spring clean up and then limp through the summer doing the best I can when I feel up to it.
5. Took a freezer inventory and built a meal plan around it. I won't have to buy meat for weeks.
Hoorah for all the savings this week!
I'm not sure if it is frugal, but I consider it prudent: My husband and I voted in our city primary election today. He registers as the dominant party, where there were actually competitive races for mayor and six council people. I register with the minority, meaning I voted for the two people running, one mayoral and one council candidate. I want to keep proving that we are not all in the majority. And I consider informed voting to be a citizen's responsibility, even in a seemingly throw-away election like this.
First of all, hugs to you for that “hump”. You’re through it and hopefully stronger.
Secondly, yes to all the sauces! We had a Chinese man live with us for a year and he was very confused by all the condiments and what went on what! I realized there’s not real rules, just norms
1- we decided to stop taking our 16 year old dog to the vet. She had such anxiety and would lash out and bite so never really got thoroughly examined anyway. We didn’t do it to be frugal, but it is
2- said dog tried to dig a nest into our bed quilt and pawed a hole. I took it to a neighbor who sews and it looks great
3- made “ice cream” from frozen overripe bananas, cocoa and peanut butter Yum!
4- made it through month 4 of my no new clothes challenge. I know summer will be a challenge because it’s all so pretty and my colors, but once I walk away I don’t think about what I’ve seen again
5- sent enough lunches in for my husband for 3 days. He often skips and comes home grumpy so win/win
6- always: coffee and tea at home, eat from freezer etc, walk for exercise, use online library for my kindle
It's been an expensive, non-frugal week. It happens and the past frugal weeks makes it okay. I am commennting mainly to agree that "SAUCE IS EVERYTHING".
I'm sorry that you are finding your old routines no longer serve you well. I think it is wise of you to recognize it though, and perhaps this is just a gentle call to redefine yourself in yet another way. You are still Kristen even if you meal plan differently or even not at all.
I have not felt very frugal this week, mostly just tired. But I did pack lunches every day. Also the teen and I shopped my closet for outfits. The load-bearing pants column may have shifted...
Whether or not you return permanently to meal planning, I hope you feel better now that you recognize the connection with what happened.
My Frugals are all food-related. I started getting serious about using up food before I move. I realized that running out of things to cook with isn't a problem because I don't feel like cooking.
- Made risotto that used up arborio rice, sherry vinegar, parmesan, and some of my home-made chicken stock. I now have over half a gallon of mushroom/ham/onion risotto for the freezer.
- Simmered leftover office holiday party turkey (vacuum-sealed in the freezer since them!) in a jar of Thai chili garlic sauce (why did I have that?!?), then portioned it out with rice for future meals.
- Will be making turkey soup with the rest of the leftover turkey, along with turkey stock (from the carcass of that same office holiday party turkey), too-thick carrots, quinoa bought on sale, and whatever other odds and ends I find in the fridge.
That holiday turkey has been the gift that kept on giving. Over the winter of often added some of the dried-out bits to canned soup to boost the nutritional profile.
- Used half a jar of pizza sauce as the basis for pasta sauce, and portioned that out for future lunches as well.
- Used the last of the cashews to make the cauli "hummus" that my dad loves. Forgot to add the parmesan. Tastes good anyway.
- The store-bought pico was unusually liquidy today. I saved the drained liquid to cook beans in later.
@WilliamB, nice job with all the food frugality! Somehow I find those to be the most satisfying because you can really be creative. Well done.
@Lindsay B, Thank you. I find it so satisfying as well.
I love your cat helping you get over the memories of menu planning. I have been in a major menu planning slump, shall we say. I think, for me, it's related more to the fact that it's a lot of work to plan, & then execute, I have a variety of diner taste/preferences/allergies. And then, my teens are super busy, and it's rare we get more than two days per week all eating together. That frustrates me, and diminishes any value I see in meal planning. I mean, I logically know that we all need to eat, but it bothers me to not have it be an actual family affair. Anyway, I've been using four weeks of meal delivery service (last week is this week). It was actually pretty frugal, but not environmentally friendly, and I've told myself that after this week, time to put my big girl panties back on & find meals that are more flexible to where we are in life right now. We'll see what I come up with. 🙂
Other things:
1) Used a $10 Rite Aid reward to buy a few cards I needed.
2) Spent time on the phone with Hyatt, chasing down missing points from our stay in Dubai.
3) Prepped a huge batch of taco meat for dinners this week, plus the freezer.
4) I've been super into Starbucks iced tea recently, which is not frugal. I discovered these drop in cold water tea sachets (by Twinings, I think) & I really, really like them as an alternative. They are about the cost of one iced tea, come with 8 sachets, and I can use them in at least four large water bottles before they use flavor. They are on sale at my grocery store right now, so I will likely stock up for the summer. Wayyyy cheaper than Starbucks.
5) My teen wanted to use some of his money on a pair of Adidas shoes. I used Rakuten, and found a discount, plus signed up for their "club" to get free shipping. I saved him about $20, all told.
I’m really frugal but I never do coupons or freebies. If I have to sign up or give my phone number or email to get a perk I never do it. I’m not sure why partly the intrusion and partly complicating everything. I’m also old enough to remember when your phone stayed at home like it was supposed to.
@Tiana, I am in overall agreement with you. I think companies are much better now than when the internet was new, so it is less likely to get email spam and fairly straightforward to unsubscribe. But I also don't like my information and shopping habits being made note of by entities I don't know.
My cell phone is only for traveling, if my husband isn't going with his phone.
Hi! I appreciate your honesty and that you are working through the tough stuff. I want to sell things again and feel stuck bc I’m not a fan of Fb market place and Craig’s list seems obsolete. Do you have a blog post on how to set up and sell on eBay? For some reason, it seems daunting to me. I just want to purge, not make a living but get a little money for items.
God Bless
This post might help you! https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/how-to-sell-books-on-ebay/
It's about books specifically, but the process is very similar for anything else you want to sell.
I use FB marketplace for large things (like if I need to sell a bike) but for small things, ebay works great!
As others have said, hugs to you, Kristen.
I'm a little late this week but enjoy reading everyone's FFT and posting, so here are my own. A few more than usual for some reason...
1. We had routine maintenance done on the car. We shopped around for the best prices, and were also able to use a $10 coupon that had come in the mail. And we received two free car wash passes too, a nice surprise.
1B. Frugal car things: used one of the free car washes immediately, so I can space the other one out two weeks from now before it expires. I bought gas at the only cheap(er) place in town (it’s by the highway) when I was up that direction running other errands, and remembered to use my $5 gift card I received previously. We also had the tires rotated for free recently thanks to the tire warranty.
2. I’ve been getting great satisfaction from returning a few misc items out of the house. For example, some glass food storage containers back to their owner, and a receiving blanket back to the hospital laundry pile (it came home with us when Baby E was born, and it wasn’t supposed to!). Also some old glasses to the donation box in Walmart eye department, and expired medications to a medication return bin in the local hospital. Not really frugal, perhaps, but still worth the effort and helps clear out the house.
3. I recently discovered FreeVee (I think from Katy at NCA?), free movies with ads on Amazon. I’ve enjoyed being able to watch a few good movies, including The Aeronauts.
4. I was at the local coop mid-day last week, and bought a lot of discounted organic produce for great prices! For example they had a box of cherry tomatoes with two peppers for $2, all because one or two of the tomatoes were a little wrinkly. Lots of organic blueberries and strawberries, and a head of cauliflower for similar prices. Such a great score!
5. Hubby and I walked to a local outdoor gear swap where we spent $10 on two vintage, sturdy folding camp chairs. They won’t last forever, but the price was great and we needed camp chairs. The newer ones seem to always fall apart so quickly so I was glad to have some sturdier vintage ones.
6. I mended several baby items and sewed down the hook on the hook and eye closure on a bra.
7. Continue to use freezer items, including finishing last year’s rhubarb, some sour milk, and the occasional deer meat. Oh and sour cream that was accidentally frozen– strange consistency but the flavor is fine in a soup that was too spicy for my tastes.
8. I worked on Tuesday and at the end of the day was able to take home the remnants of an aged pizza from the fridge. It would be thrown out otherwise, but of course it was fine when microwaved and it was nice not to cook one evening!